UM/Sylvester’s inaugural Well Being/Being Well conference assembled more than 650 participants to become more proactive in their own health care. The event was part of UM/Sylvester’ continuous commitment to provide the community with the resources and tools to lead a healthier life.

Today’s conference brought together some of the best and brightest minds in academic medicine. University of Miami faculty dedicated to advancing scientific discoveries from the laboratory to the clinic and to the community. Nutritionists, nurses, and health educators imparted advice and expertise. Survivors shared perspective and wisdom.

Elsie Sterling Howard, event chair and UM/Sylvester Board of Governors member, thanked the 50 community, business, and philanthropic leaders that came together to plan the conference. More than 20 corporations and individuals endorsed the forum by sponsoring the mission of the event. “The conference was an opportunity to share a wealth of information from more than 32 UM/Sylvester physician-scientist experts. It also showcased the need for integrating mind and body for patients, potential patients, and members of the community, including children, parents, and young adults,” said Howard.

The event celebrated health and wellness and featured keynote presentations by mind-body expert Deepak Chopra as well as University of Miami President and former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Donna Shalala

“We invited Dr. Chopra because of his integrative medicine thrust, which UM/Sylvester also believes in, said Joan Scheiner, chair, UM/Sylvester Board of Governors and a cancer survivor herself. “This event was UM/Sylvester’s gift to the community. The conference brought resources to the community on living and coping with cancer, as well as how to prevent it.”

Participants selected among a myriad of topics that included: Surviving Cancer – The Positive Side, which looked at living life to the fullest, even with a cancer diagnosis, and how to develop strong support systems; Creating Your Personal Life Plan, demonstrated how to create a life plan using integrated medical approaches; and How to Feel Better: Mind Over Matter talked about the science behind the mind body connection.

The conference also provided a unique opportunity and in-depth look at maintaining a healthy lifestyle and dispelling myths about cancer and other ailments. UM/Sylvester Director, W. Jarrard Goodwin, M.D., F.A.C.S., presented a session titled “Can Cancer Be Prevented?”, which focused on how lifestyle changes can make a difference.

Attendees had direct access to all the resources UM/Sylvester has to offer, including the latest statistics, information on breakthrough research, and updates on how to fight the disease. Each person was given a binder featuring a family health record where they could trace back diseases in their family, details on each session, including room for personal notations. In that way, this one-day conference becomes a reference tool for attendees to refer to as they take a healthier approach to their own lives from this day forward.